RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) -- UC President Robert Dynes launched a statewide inaugural tour of University of California campuses, laboratories and communities on Thursday, Nov. 20 at UC Riverside. His two-day visit included an evening reception Thursday for about 250 alumni and community members, and a Friday run on the campus with several dozen students, staff and faculty, including the UC Riverside cross-country team.

Dynes, former Chancellor at UC San Diego, took over leadership of the 10-campus university system Oct. 2. He is the 18th UC President of what is acknowledged as the preeminent public university system in the world.

In place of a formal inauguration, Dynes chose Riverside to start a series of conversations with California, a series of inaugural visits to campuses, national laboratories and the regions around them that will help him shape and share his vision for the future of the system.

“While these are uncertain times for California, both politically and economically, it remains the envy of the world — a testament to the success of innovation, diversity, tolerance, risk-taking and entrepreneurship,” Dynes said. “The UC system is the thread that keeps California together. It pervades all aspects of California life — from its education system and its culture to its medical care and its economy.”

President Dynes spoke in a warm and witty way at the Alumni and Community reception inside University Theatre. He was greeted by alumni, current students and UCR Chancellor France Córdova.

On Friday, in an early morning run, President Dynes barely broke a sweat in a three-mile jog with athletically inclined students, faculty and staff of UC Riverside, including Chancellor Córdova. The route meandered between buildings and past campus landmarks, ending at the Student Recreation Center with a citrus tasting booth set up by Tracy Kahn, curator of the UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection. The rest of the morning was devoted to meetings with various people on campus.

In the afternoon on Friday, President Dynes toured the University Research Park with city officials and representative business leaders, to talk about ways that UC Riverside serves as an economic engine for the Inland Empire. He also toured the College of Engineering-Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), a center that is creating new technology to clean the environment. He met with CE-CERT Director Joe Norbeck, and talked with student researchers.

During his visit, he talked with legislators at their regional offices, to underscore the importance of the University of California to the state’s economic, educational and cultural health.

“I truly believe that all Californians are touched by the work of the University of California — through our teaching, our medical care, the new products and jobs created by our research, and our work in the schools and agricultural fields,” Dynes said. “We want to preserve and enhance all the things we do for California. But we need to make clear that doing so requires continued support from the state. We need to be telling the story of what UC accomplishes for California and why that contribution is too valuable to lose.”

Anyone with an idea or comment for President Dynes can send a message via a “Dynes Desk” feature located at www.universityofcalifornia.edu/president

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